Four trends which will be big on TikTok, Instagram, X and Facebook in 2024, according to a social media expert

Social media is a central part of most people's daily lives nowadays, and for that reason in 2023 it's influenced many things - from what we eat to the way we dress, and even the way we talk.

There are a variety of trends that have come from a range of platforms, including TikTok, Facebook, X, Instagram, and every day there is a new trend that has taken over the internet. 2023 has been the year of the girl summer, and also the girl dinner (or the boy dinner), plus the yearbook photobooth and the aged filter. So, what will next year bring?

Instagram expert Estelle Keeber has spoken to NationalWorld to share her predictions for what will be big across all the social media platforms in 2024. Keep reading to find out all you need to know, so that you can get ahead of the trends.

4 predictions for social media trends in 2024

Threads versus X

Twitter, or X, as it is more recently known isn’t going anywhere, says Keeber. Despite the launch of rival Threads from Meta, X is still going strong and this will continue into 2024. She adds: "In my opinion Twitter will always have its place, especially when it comes to users who want to share more thought provoking content. Threads is a fast growing app, however, that has potential for further growth and development in 2024. But, if I had to pick a winner, I'd say X will remain on top in terms of use."

Explaining her choice further, she says: "Threads saw a huge influx of users as the app launched in 2023, and has more recently seen another small peak as the app became available in Europe, [and] Big brands such as Channel 4, Starbucks and Spotify have really embraced the app with quirky thread posts and light hearted banter with rivals. But, text-based apps are still a firm favourite for many social media users, whether this be for business or personal use."

Social media shopping

With reports showing that a massive 44% of Gen Z members, who are the next generation, researched products they intended to buy social media apps such as Facebook, TikTok and Instagram, a combination of social media apps and strategic marketing is fast becoming Google's biggest competitor, says Keeber, particularly as only 48% of people surveyed said they used Google to research products.

Keeber adds: "Both TikTok and Instagram have launched even more features this year which make it even easier for you to not only purchase via the apps, but also for business to reach out, connect and engage with their ideal audience."

Video content

Video style content was huge in 2023 and will continue to be an important part of marketing going into 2024, predicts Keeber. She says: "With Instagram introducing more features to enable professional style editing and video creation directly within the app, this opens the door for anyone to create amazing video content without having any videography experience. With the added bonuses of artificial intelligence and augmented reality  surging in 2023, the opportunities to get creative with content marketing have never been easier."

User Generated Content

With niche micro influencers making a huge impact when it comes to social media marketing along with some very clever celebrity endorsements and collaborations, user generated content is another trend that Keeber predicts will continue to grow in 2024. (A micro influencer is one with a follower count of between 10l and 100k followers).

The benefits of this sort of influencer, she says, is that they have a small but very engaged audience although their reach may be lower than those accounts with a larger following. She adds: "However, as we know, when it comes to social media marketing quantity is not always rewarding as quality.  Aligning your brand with a well-known figure of influence, paired with creative video content marketing to a targeted demographic, will be a recipe for success in 2024."